Lanikai 'stealth antenna' placement sought

They look like trees, cactus, church steeples or flag poles -- anything but cell phone antennas.

They're often referred to as stealth antennas, and Verizon Hawaii wants to build one that looks like a rock on a Lanikai hillside.

It would be Verizon's first natural-looking cell site in Hawaii, although the company has already built hidden antennas atop buildings in Hawaii, a company spokeswoman said.

"It's not new to Hawaii, but this rock is the first we have for us," said Georgia Taylor, Verizon company spokeswoman.

Stealth antennas are becoming more common as communities around the nation encourage cellular firms to make their new cellular antennas blend in to the background.

COURTESY IMAGESVerizon Hawaii plans to install a cellular antenna disguised as a rock on a ridge in Lanikai. The photo at top shows the ridge and the photo below it shows a proposal of what it would look like with the disguised antenna. CLICK FOR LARGE

Requirements for stealth antennas are usually found where there are geographic obstacles, such as large hills, requiring more antennas for a stronger signal, officials said.

However, stealth antennas can cost more for cellular companies to build.

"It's a big business," said Pete Jaeger, technical operations manager at Sprint Hawaii.A stealth antenna costs about three times as much as a common monopole antenna, he said.

Sprint has stealth antennas in three flagpoles at Mililani Town Center next to City Mill and a base station for equipment and backup power on the City Mill property.

Verizon estimates the Lanikai antenna will cost $700,000 and will take two to three months to construct. The company is still in the process of obtaining permits for the antenna.

Verizon plans a 5-foot-tall antenna, covered with material to resemble a rock on a Lanikai ridge.